The Visalia Rawhide will open the 2018 season with a loud bang — a very loud bang.

Recreation Park will feature the largest cowbell in the United States, part of what's planned in the way of ceremonies and promotions this year.

The eye-catching, clang-sound making cowbell, much like the players on the field, is ready to get the crowd pumped up.

"The cowbell is installed and ready to go for Opening Day," said Vinnie Longo, the Rawhide's director of broadcasting and marketing.

A ribbon cutting ceremony for the cowbell is part of the pageantry scheduled ahead of today's game.

With its unique heft and size, the cowbell will have a unique method of operation, signaling it's time for first pitch.

"It will be run by a 'ceremonial bell ringer' once per game to signal the beginning of the game," Longo said.

Ringers and fans are expected to get the loudest bang per ring.

"The all-local team that constructed the cowbell put the bell through extensive testing to discover what material gave it the loudest ring," Longo said.

The 2018 season marks the 10th year since the baseball team adopted "Rawhide" as its name. Over the last decade, Recreation Park has been refurbished and the team undergone several name changes and affiliations with Major League Baseball teams.

The Rawhide and Visalia have had a good relationship, officials said.

"Combine all of those elements with the attendance records we've seen in the last decade, and we decided this was an idea worth celebrating," Longo said.

Councilman Steve Nelsen said Rawhide baseball is an amenity that benefits the city.

"It has an economic impact in the downtown area. People come out to the downtown area before or after the game," he said. "It's a plus for the area."

Longo said the Rawhide will have plenty of promotions to draw more fans to Recreation Park, including Opening Week Fan Fest, Girls Night Out, Sportsman's Weekend and Los Toros series, when the team adopts its Spanish nickname. (Los Toros is Spanish for The Bulls).

"This year we've changed up how we look at promotions. Instead of doing one-off promotions scattered around the calendar, we have bundled our promotions together such that every homestand is an event with an overarching theme," Longo said.

The Rawhide will also feature in-game promotions such fireworks and $1 beer nights.

Last year, the Rawhide's support was visible at the gates.

"We set our seventh attendance record in the past eight years in 2017, and we always aim to do better than we did the year before," Longo said.

The Rawhide is the lone professional team in Tulare County. Logo said the baseball team is also an affordable option for family fun.

"One of the cornerstones of our organization is that we are built around providing affordable family entertainment," he said. "We have affordable ticketing options throughout the ballpark, as our seating sections for families all run less than $10 per ticket."

Nelsen, a former member of the city council's baseball sub-committee, agreed. He said families can have a good time at the baseball game without breaking the family's budget.

"It's a draw for those folks," he said.

The Rawhide kicks off the season today and continues the home stand through the weekend.